Coupling-release rigging.



H. C. BUHOUP.

COUPLING RELEASE BIGGING.

urmoumn mum APR. 4, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912;

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COUPLING RELEASE BIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, mm.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHBEI' 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY C. IBUHOUP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COUPLING-RELEASE RIGGING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY C. BUHOUP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coupler-Release Rigging; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art. to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to the construction of a coupler release rigging or uncoupling device by means of which the lock of a car coupler may be caused to assume an unlocked position.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a strong and simple form of rotating uncoupling lever which can be as readily operated by the trainman when standing upon the sill step as when standing on the ground beside the car. As is well known the forms of coupler release rigging now generally in use can only be conveniently operated when the trainman is standing on the ground at the side of the car, and as it is often necessary in switching operations for the operator to ride upon the car after it has been separated from the train and while the car is moving it frequently occurs that the trainman is required to jump on the car while it is in motion, thus exposing himself to danger. With my construction it the operator desires to go with the car after it has been separated from the train he can, by taking his position on the sill step, which is the usual means of mounting the car; readily actuate the coupler release rigging and unlock the coupler with entire safety to himself and without being compelled to assume any strained or unnatural position. My construction also provides means whereby the operator may actuate the coupler release rigging to unlock the coupler while standing on the ground beside the car, thus making it possible for him to uncouple the car without getting upon it.

A further object of my invention is to provide a coupler release rigging through the instrumentality of which the coupler will be automatically unlocked when drawn outwardly to a greater extent than its connection with the car normally permits. When, therefore, a coupler breaks or its draft rigging is disrupted the coupler lock Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 4, 1911.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

Serial No. 618,787.

is brought to an unlocked position and the coupler is uncoupled from the o posite coupler, thus preventing it from fal ing on the track.

To accomplish certain of the before-noted objects I construct the coupler release rigging with an operating lever which is provided with a plurality of operating arms arranged at an angle to each other, the lever being rotatable about its lon itudinal axis, which extends transversely 0% the car; and to effect other of the before-mentioned objects I combine with the lever having the divergent operatin arms a pivoted extension lever and an ad itional lever which is connected to the lock of the coupler, the pivoted extension lever being mounted upon the end of the car and being operatively interposed between the operating lever and the additional. or connecting lever which is connected to the coupler lock, the pivoted lever and the connecting lever having a loose connection permitting normal longitudinal movements of the coupler and being provided with means whereby an abnormal outward movement of the coupler causes the connecting lever to be rotated to cause the coupler lock to be brought to an unlocked position.

In the drawings chosen for the purpose of illustrating the invention, the scope whereof is pointed out in the claims, Figure 1 is a plan view of a coupler release rigging embodying my invention, the parts being shown in the positions they occupy when the coupler is locked and its manner of attachment to the car being also illustrated; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the devices shown in Fig. 1, the parts being shown in the positions they occupy when the coupler lock is automatically raised to an unlocked positionthrough an abnormal outward movement of the coupler; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the devices shown in Fig. l, the parts being in their normal or coupled position; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the devices shown in Fig. 1, the view being taken from the guard arm side of the coupler and the parts being shown in the positions they occupy when the coupler is automatically unlocked to prevent it from falling upon the track; Fig. 5 is a detail view taken on the line 55, Fig. 1; Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of a modified form of my invention, and Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the devices shown in Fig. 6.

Like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more fully so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a portion of the end of a car and 2 a coupler, which is shown as of the vertical plane or Master Car-Builders type. The car body and conpler may be of any suitable construction, and forms no special part of my invention.

Extending transversely of the car and rotatably mounted thereon, as by means of brackets 3 and 4, is an operating lever 5 which is provided at its outer end with a plurality of divergent operating arms 6 and 7 respectively, the arm 6, which normally extends vertically downward, being in a position where the trainman may readily grasp it with his hand to rotate the operating lever 5, and the arm 7, which extends inwardly under the car, and which, as shown, may be fashioned with a broadened foot plate 7, being located adjacent to the sill step 8, and preferably normally standing in the center of the sill step opening near the top thereof so that the trainman may easily operate it with his foot while standing upon the sill step. As shown more particularly in Figs. 1, 2 and 8 the outer portion of the operating lever 5 is preferably located beneath the end sill of the car where it is to a great extent protected from accidental injury.

Toward the center of the car the operating lever 5 is preferably provided with a forwardly and upwardly extending crank arm 5 which is designed to engage the under side of the extension lever 9 and retate the latter upwardly around its pivot pin 10, the crank 5 being for this purpose preferably formed with a projecting portion or lifting finger 5 which extends under the pivoted extension lever 9 and is parallel to the axis upon which the operating lever 5 rotates. In order to prevent the operating arms 6 and 7 from swinging upwardly beyond their normal positions, as shown in Fig. 3, the trunnion bracket 4 may be conveniently provided with a lug or stop 4 which is adapted to engage the upper face of the operating arm 7 and thus normally maintain the lever :5 in proper position corresponding to the locked position of the coupler.

The extension lever 9, which may be conveniently made of skeleton form as shown, is preferably mounted on the end of the car on a supporting bracket; 11 which is pro vided with a centrally disposed perforated lug or boss 11 that is adapted to receive a pivot bolt 10 by which the extension lever is connected to the bracket. As will be seen upon reference to Fig. 3 the inner lower faces of the extension lever 9 are curved or rounded as at 9' to permit the extension lever to swing upwardly, while the downward movement of this lever is limited by the supporting shelf 11 which is formed on and extends outwardly from the bracket 11 beneath the extension lever 9.

Near its outer end the extension lever 9 is provided on one side with a slot 9 and on the other side with an aperture 9, the former being sufliciently long to permit the portion of the connecting lever 12 which passes therethrough to have sufiicient forward movement beyond its normal position to cause the connecting lever 12 to be rotated by the cam devices hereinafter described to thus effect the unlocking of the coupler when the latter is pulled outwardly to an abnormal extent and the latter being sufliciently large to receive the end portion of the connecting lever 12 and permit it to turn therein as if upon a pivot.

Adjacent to the slot 9 the extension lever 9 is provided with a laterally extending pin or lug 9 by means of which the connecting lever 12 is adapted to be rotated to unlock the coupler when the latter moves outwardly an abnormal amount, as will presently appear.

Mounted upon the outer end of the pivotcd extension lever 9 in the apertures 9' and 9 thereof is a connecting member or lever 12 having an arm or crank 12 that is provided with a finger l2 which is connected to the lug 2 of the coupler, the latter being preferably formed with an elongated slot which permits the coupler to have normal longitudinal movements without affecting the member 12. The lock engaging finger 12 is preferably fashioned with an angular or bent end 12 which prevents disassociation of the member 12 and the coupler ock. Adjacent to the extension lever 9 and in vertical alinement with the transversely extending pin 9 of the latter, the connect ing lever 12 is provided with a cam member 12 which engages the pin 9, the cam being preferably formed as a hooked member which is rigidly attached to the member 12.

In the normal operation of the release rigging force properly applied to either of the angnlarly disposed operating arms 5 or 7 will cause the extension lever 9 to be ro tated upwardly around its pivot bolt 10, the

connecting member 12 being also carried 1 upwardly around the same pivot bolt as if it were an integral part of the extension le ver. for the engagement of the cam pin 9 of the extension lever with the cam hook l2 of the connecting member 12 prevents the latter from rotating on the extension lever 9. If, however, the coupler 2 of the draft rigging should be broken the outward movement of the coupler beyond that normally allowed causes the connecting member 12 to move forwardly into the slot 9 of the pivoted extension lever 9, thus causing the cam finger 12 of the connecting lever to slide over the cam pin 9, and consequently causing the connecting member 12 to rotate upon its axis as it moves forward in the said slot. This rotation of the connecting member causes the lock engaging finger 12 of the crank arm 12 to rotate upwardly, thus raising the coupler lock 2" to an unlocked position and permiting the knuckle 2" of the coupler to rotate outwardly. If the coupler 2 is provided with a lockset device for temporarily maintaining its lock in unlocked position the extension lever 9 and connecting member 12 Will be supported in raised or unlocked position by the coupler look after the latter has been brought to an unlocked position by the operation of the release rigging by the trainman, but the operating lever 5 will reassume its normal position as shown in Fig. 3 as soon as the trainman ceases to apply force to the operating arms thereof.

In Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings is shown a modified form of my invention which it is preferred to employ where it is not de sired to have the release rigging operate to automatically uncouple the cars when the coupler with which the release rigging is associated is drawn outwardly to a greater distance than that normally permitted by the draft rigging. In this form of construction the pivoted extension lever 9, pivot bracket 11, and the connecting member 12 are dispensed with and the operating lever 13 alone is employed to raise the coupler lock. This operating lever is constructed and arranged in precisely the same manner as the operating lever 5 heretofore described except that the forwardly and upwardly extending crank arm 13, which corresponds to the forwardly and upwardly extending crank arm 5 of the lever 5, is made somewhat longer in order that the transversely extending lifting finger 13 thereof may be in alinement with the clevis 2 which is attached to the upper end of the coupler lock for lifting the same. For the purpose of permitting the coupler to have the nor mal longitudinal movements without trans mitting any strain to the operating lever the inner end of the latter is preferably formed with a lock'engaging finger 13 which extends through the lock clevis 2 in the direction of movement of the coupler. Upon applying force in the proper direction either to the hand operating arm 5 or foot operating arm 7 with which the operating lever 13 is provided the latter will rotate on its axis in the trunnion brackets 3 and 4:, thus causing the crank arm 13 and lifting finger 13" to move upwardly and raise the coupler lock to unlocked position, as will be readily understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a coupler release rigging, the combination with an operating lever extending transversely of a car, of a pivoted lever extending outwardly from the ear and adapted to be operated by said operating lever, a lever connected to the lock of the coupler and movable with and also independently of said pivoted lever, and means for actuating said last named lever.

2. In a coupler release rigging, the combination with a rotatable operating lever which extends transversely of a car and is provided with a crank arm, of a lever pivotally mounted on the car and adapted to be actuated by said crank arm, and a lever connected to the lock of the coupler and movably mounted upon said pivotally mounted lever, one of the two last named levers being provided with a cam and the other being provided with a lug adapted to engage said cam to rotate the lever connected to the coupler lock.

3. In a coupler release rigging, the combination with an operating lever which is rotatable upon an axis extending transversely of the car, of a lever pivotally mounted upon the car and operated by the said operating lever, said pivotally mounted lever having a slotted aperture and a cam lug adjacent to said slotted aperture, and a lever slidably and rotatably mounted in said slotted aperture and having a cam member which engages the cam lug on said pivotally mounted lever.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY C. BUHOUP.

Witnesses:

HARRY V. STANNARD, D. B. MASON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

